by Duane Boehm
“I know,” Ethan said. “I think I’m going to ask Zack to work for me. He’s a good kid and I can teach him to do things the way that I want them done instead of some old cowboy that is set in his ways and undependable. What do you think?”
“I already told you that I was okay with it. The only concern that I have is that if Joann heads back to Wyoming, he will follow,” she said.
“It’s not like they are a couple yet and if he does, it won’t be any worse than anybody else that I’ve tried to hire so far,” he said.
“That’s true. Go talk to him. He won’t be anybody that we have to worry about when Benjamin is around him either. He has fine manners,” Sarah said.
“With Benjamin headed to school and me with nothing to do but go see Zack, we could have us a little alone time,” Ethan said with a smile.
Sarah got up from her chair and sat in Ethan’s lap, latching her arms around his neck. “Do you promise to give me a backrub?” she asked.
“Honey, I promise to give you plenty of rubbing,” he said.
“You are a naughty man,” Sarah said as Ethan stood and carried her to the bedroom.
After they had made love, they were lying nestled together when Ethan said, “I guess I better get to town and talk to Zack.”
“I always knew that you were a love me and leave me kind of guy,” Sarah teased.
“I could stay and give you some more loving,” he suggested.
“No. No. This ranch won’t survive on your loving skills alone. You better go get something done,” she said and kissed him.
∞
Zack was sitting in Gideon’s chair with his feet propped up on the desk reading the newspaper when Ethan walked into the jail. In a rush to get his feet down, he almost fell out of the chair. “Hello sir, how are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m fine, Zack. Where is Gideon?” Ethan said.
“He is meeting with the city council. He wasn’t looking forward to it and grumbled all morning,” Zack said.
“I came here to see you anyway,” Ethan said as he sat down in a chair facing the desk.
“What can I do for you, sir?” Zack asked.
“If you think that you are going to stay around here for a while, I was wanting you to come work for me. I’ll teach you everything that I know about running a ranch and pay you thirty dollars a month and you can live in the cabin with Gideon until he decides what he is going to do and then it will be yours to live in,” Ethan said.
“I would like that, sir. It’s the best prospect that I have had in a long time. I think Gideon was going to talk to the city council about hiring me part–time as a deputy. How would you feel about that if it happened?” Zack said.
“If they go along with it, we will try to make it work. I have some reservations about the whole thing, but I’ll try it for Gideon’s sake,” Ethan said.
“When do I start, sir?” Zack asked.
“Be at my place tomorrow morning at eight. And quit with the sir business. Ethan will do just fine,” Ethan said.
I will try. I’m not having a lot of luck stopping with Gideon. He really dislikes it,” Zack said.
Gideon left the city council meeting while Ethan and Zack were talking in his office, mumbling to himself as he walked. The council had been extremely pleased with his job as sheriff, but they told him that they would take his suggestion of a part–time deputy under advisement and get back to him on it. He assumed that it was a polite way to avoid telling him no immediately.
Deciding to talk to Mary, Gideon made a detour to the Last Chance where he found her supervising the painting of some walls. She was standing behind the painters with her hands on her hips giving orders when she looked over and saw him.
“Little early for a beer, isn’t it?” Mary called out.
“I need to talk to you,” Gideon said as he sat down at the table where he had first met her.
Mary joined him there, taking a seat next to him. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“First off, how are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m almost good as new. It’s too bad that I’m not still in the whoring trade. I probably could get an extra dollar to show my scar and tell my story,” Mary said.
“I’m glad you are better. I hope that one of these days that you find you somebody that treats you the way that you deserve,” Gideon said.
“Well, if I don’t, I’ve bedded enough men to last me a lifetime,” she said with a chuckle.
“Don’t be so cynical. It doesn’t become you,” he said.
“I know. It’s just that I’ve come across my fair share of bad men. I guess I’m getting jaded. What did you want to talk about?” Mary said.
Gideon took a big breath and blew out slowly, hesitant to get Mary involved. “I’ve received a couple of anonymous threatening letters. Apparently, I have taken a loved one away from this person and they plan to come to get revenge. They even threatened that they might take someone from me that I love. I was hoping that you could keep an eye out for strangers and use your ability of reading men to be on the lookout for him,” he said.
“They tracked you down from the newspaper articles on saving Benjamin, didn’t they?” she said.
“Yes,” Gideon answered.
“People like you and me never have it easy, do we?” Mary said.
“It doesn’t feel like it sometimes, but I did get Abby and my life back and you got this place and a new life. That’s something,” he said.
“But what a cost we paid,” she said.
“You need to cheer up or I’m going to have to have that beer,” Gideon said.
“Oh, I will. I’m still mourning Mr. Vander and getting used to the fact that I killed Hiatt. They were both gruesome and a shock. You know that I will be on the lookout for this man for you,” Mary said.
“I know you will. I hate getting you involved, but I knew that you would be the first to spot him,” he said as he stood.
“Maybe you’ll get the chance to make the legend of Gideon Johann grow,” she said, making Gideon smile and tip his hat as he walked out the saloon.
Gideon walked back to the jail, finding Ethan and Zack in an animated conversation over the merits of Indian ponies. Ethan was espousing the virtues of his pony Pie, the surest footed horse he had ever owned, and Zack was adamant that none of them could be trusted after one had taken a chunk out of his shoulder.
“Am I the only person that ever works around here?” Gideon asked when the two men paused in their debate.
“I start work tomorrow for Ethan,” Zack said.
“And I need to get back and do some work myself,” Ethan said.
“Glad to hear that Ethan is going to take you under his wing. He is pretty good at recognizing the ass of a cow,” Gideon said.
“I’m pretty good at recognizing all kinds of asses,” Ethan said with a smirk.
“I have to give you that one. I made it too easy,” Gideon said.
“Ethan said that I could move into the cabin with you,” Zack said.
“Yeah, I should have had you move out there already. It was just handy having you around here. We’ll ride out there this afternoon and get you settled,” Gideon said.
“Gideon, if you get a chance this weekend, you need to go fishing or something with Benjamin. He is needing some time with you. He got awfully used to you being around all the time,” Ethan said.
“Yeah, I’ve been missing him too. I never thought that I would have my hands so full when I took this job and then Joann coming on top of it has made it busy,” Gideon said.
“Did you talk to the city council about me being a part–time deputy?” Zack asked.
“I did. They are going to think about it. I think they didn’t want to tell me no to my face. I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you,” Gideon said. “Now get out of my seat.”
Chapter 20
Judge Laurel, the justice of the peace for the county, arrived in Last Stand and set the docket for the court. Abby�
��s divorce was one of the first things on it and when she arrived at the court with her lawyer, she saw Marcus for the first time in over a month. He had lost a considerable amount of weight and looked aged. He made a point to avoid eye contact with her, surveying everywhere around the courthouse but towards her. She felt sorry for him, but no second thought of whether she was doing the right thing crossed her mind. Watching him, she wondered how a man that she had shared a bed and a life with could seem like a stranger to her now.
The judge had a reputation as being a ladies’ man with a tendency to rule in favor of women when the parties could not reach an amiable settlement. Abby’s lawyer had used this to Abby’s advantage in negotiating a fair agreement over the dissolution of their property. Marcus got to keep the ranch and house and Abby received a cash settlement along with some furniture, a couple of horses, and personal belongings.
The court was called to order and Judge Laurel asked, “Has both parties agreed to the terms of this agreement on their own free will?”
Both lawyers answered in the affirmative and the judge said, “I hereby pronounce that Marcus Hanson and Abigail Hanson are now divorced.” He signed the divorce decree and with a rap of the gavel, the marriage was ended.
Abby watched Marcus leave the courtroom looking like a broken man. His shoulders were stooped and his gait was slow as he shuffled out. She thought about the young man that she had married when she was so sure that she was madly in love, only to come to understand that he was nothing more than a rebound romance. Her only regret was that she had not divorced Marcus years ago and instead let Gideon be the catalyst for realizing how unhappy she really was. Winnie had made the marriage worth the sacrifice and she hoped that Marcus felt the same way. She walked out of the courtroom with her head held high and ready for the next chapter of her life.
That afternoon, the trial of Tom McClean began. The court appointed attorney for McClean forgo any attempts at trying to prove Tom innocent of robbery, but instead put all his efforts into keeping the outlaw from being found guilty of murder. He made a point of asking each witness if they had seen the shooter of shotgun rider Ray Tibbs and seemed to relish their answer of no as if he had succeeded in a difficult interrogation. Zack was called as a witness for the purpose of stating that Tom McClean had been responsible for sparing the boy’s life. Gideon was also called to testify. By the end of the day, the case had been turned over to the jury for deciding.
Gideon walked to Abby’s home afterwards to check on her. He found her sitting in the yard covered in a shawl to ward off the cool air. “How are you feeling?” he asked as he sat down beside her.
“Oh, I’m fine. I’m glad that it’s over with, but it certainly is not cause for celebration. Winnie’s world has been turned upside down. I know that things will get better for her, but I wish that it was already here,” Abby said.
“I know. Maybe one of these days I will win her over and that will make things better. She certainly resents me,” Gideon said.
“Yes, she does. That will take care of itself in time, but how long that will be, I don’t have a clue,” she said.
“I need to talk to you about something. I’ve been putting it off until after the divorce was final, but I don’t think I can wait any longer,” he said.
“Oh God, what now? Is this where you tell me that you are having second thoughts about us and staying in Last Stand?” Abby asked.
“No. I can’t believe that you would even say that. You know that I would never have asked you to marry me if I had doubts. You are stuck with me. I received two anonymous letters threatening me or loved ones. They came from Pueblo and apparently are about settling an old score concerning a loved one that I killed or sent to jail or something,” Gideon said.
“Gideon, what are you going to do?” she asked.
“Wait for him to show up. I don’t have a clue who it is though I expect it has something to do with the Colfax County War. I killed a couple of men there. I want you and the girls to go stay at the cabin with Zack when he gets here. It will be one less worry that way and I can stay at the jail,” he said.
“I could send the girls to stay with Marcus and be right here in case you need me,” Abby said.
“If you stay it will be one more worry for me. I will not endanger you and it would make things more dangerous for me too if I had to look out for you,” Gideon said.
“Is there always going to be somebody looking for you now that people know that you are back?” she asked.
“I don’t think so. I never killed anybody that didn’t need killing and I never went around looking for trouble,” he said.
“I’m ready to be happy and enjoy life. Now there is something else to worry about. I can’t lose you,” Abby said.
“You’re not going to lose me and there is nobody more ready than me to start a new life. Nobody,” Gideon said.
The next morning, Gideon was sitting in the courthouse when the verdict was read. Tom McClean was found guilty of robbery, but innocent on the count of murder. The judge thanked the jurors and then turned to McClean. “You need to thank your lawyer, Mr. McClean. He surely saved your neck from a stretching. As it is, I hereby sentence you to the Colorado State Penitentiary for a term of fifteen years.”
Gideon walked out of the courthouse feeling ambivalent about the murder verdict. He had no doubt that Tom McClean had been complicit in the murder, but he doubted that the man was actually capable of cold–blooded killing. Fifteen years from now, McClean would not have much fight left in him. All that was left to do was arrange for having the prisoner carted off to the penitentiary.
Chapter 21
Gideon decided that he was going to make some time for Benjamin. If he kept waiting for things to slow down, Benjamin would be a man before they ever got to spend time together. He was missing the boy too much not to do something about it anyway and Sarah and Ethan had both already made sure that he knew that Benjamin was missing him too.
He walked to the general store and bought licorice for the boy and some hooks and line for fishing. Ethan had a hatchet that he could borrow to use to cut some poles. It had been a long time since he had gone fishing and he feared that he was forgetting something important. After retrieving his horse from the livery stable, he headed out to Ethan’s place, hoping to find Benjamin not burdened down with work.
Gideon found Ethan splitting firewood out in the yard and Benjamin stacking it for him. “Awfully pretty day to be working so hard,” he said as he rode up to them.
Ethan eyed him suspiciously. “Well, us ranchers don’t have the leisure time that the law does and our wives get kind of cranky when the cabin is freezing cold,” he said.
“I’ll remember that the next time that I have to make a cold camp while chasing some outlaw while you lay in bed all warm and snuggled up next to Sarah,” Gideon said.
Wondering why Gideon had ridden out to see them, Ethan asked, “Is everything okay?”
Making a small nod towards Benjamin, Gideon said, “I was out here looking for a little youthful camaraderie if the authoritarian figure could spare such,” he said.
Ethan let out a giggle. “I hope that you didn’t pull that sentence out of Shakespeare. It made my ears hurt,” he said.
“I would hope that you would appreciate my subtleness in the matter,” Gideon said, bobbing his head with brashness.
“Benjamin, Gideon wants you to go with him. You can stack the wood after church tomorrow. Sound fair?” Ethan said to his son.
The boy beamed a smile at both of them. “Is that what he was asking? I thought that maybe he was drunk,” he said.
After the laughter died, Gideon said, “I don’t know why I come out here just to get insulted by a surly preacher and a boy. I could go arrest somebody and hear the same things.”
“But we do it with such love,” Ethan said with a grin.
“Benjamin, we are going fishing. Go get your pa’s hatchet and shovel. We can dig some worms in the barnyard,” Gideon sa
id.
The ground around the barn was fertile with manure and rotten hay, making it easy to find large earthworms with little work. After only a few spadesful, they had enough worms to last the day.
“Let’s get Patches saddled. We have fish to catch,” Gideon said.
They rode out headed in a different direction than Benjamin had been expecting. “Aren’t we going to Pa’s pond?” he asked.
“No, I want to ride to a spot that I haven’t been back to see since I came back. It is between here and my old homestead, just farther north. Your pa and I used to really catch the fish there and it’s a nice ride from here,” Gideon said.
“Winnie sure is mad that you are seeing her momma,” Benjamin said after they had ridden for a while.
“Yes, she is. I don’t blame her. I would be mad too if I were her,” Gideon said.
“Really? Aren’t you mad at how she acts?” Benjamin asked.
“I don’t like it, but I understand it. Her parents are split up and here I show up before she has even gotten used to the idea that they are divorcing. It’s a lot for an eight–year–old,” Gideon said.
“She sure don’t like you,” Benjamin said.
Gideon chuckled. “You sure know how to make a guy feel good,” he said.
“How much further is it?” Benjamin asked after they had ridden a good distance.
“I guess about a quarter of a mile. Are you in a hurry?” Gideon said.
“No, I was just wondering. Do you hear something?” Benjamin said.
Gideon stopped his horse, holding up his hand for Benjamin to do the same, and listened intently. “It sounds like a hound, but like it’s coming from a cave or something. I didn’t think there were any caves up in here,” he said.
“Do you think we should go look?” Benjamin asked.
“We can ride in that direction and see if we see anything. There was a homestead over that way that the family gave up on before they even finished the cabin or well. I would imagine that it is all gone now,” Gideon said as they turned east for an eighth of a mile. The barking of the dog grew louder as they rode until they were upon the sound.